The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector and, more specifically, to a right-angle connector for printed circuit boards, and to a contact retention arrangement for such a connector which may also be utilized for other forms of connectors.
Right-angle connectors for printed circuit boards are well
Right-angle connectors for printed circuit boards are well known in the art. One form of such a connector comprises a molded plastic connector housing typically having two rows of cavities containing contacts therein that have rearwardly extending termination tails. The tails extend rearwardly from the connector housing and are bent at a right angle such that when the connector is mounted on a printed circuit board the ends of the tails will extend into openings in the board where they may be soldered to the board. An integral flange on the rear of the housing is formed with spaced vertically extending slots in which the bent tails of the contacts are fitted for supporting and properly positioning the tails to match the pattern of openings in the printed circuit board. Such connector has the disadvantage that the support for the contact tails is provided at a point adjacent to the bend in the tails, rather than near the ends of the tails so that the ends of the tails may not necessarily be reliably retained precisely positioned for fitting in the holes in the printed circuit board.
In another prior art right-angle connector, the connector has a metal plate mounted on brackets secured to a metal shell for positioning the contact tails relatively close to their ends. However, the use of the separate contact positioning plate, brackets, and metal shell on the connector increases its cost. In addition, such prior art connectors embody separate means for releasably mounting the contacts within the connector housing.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved connector for printed circuit boards having a reliable support for properly positioning the ends of the tails of the contacts in the connector and contact retention means integral with the contact tail support which will minimize manufacturing costs.
The present invention is also directed to a novel contact retention arrangement which is particularly suited for a connector having two parallel rows of contacts, with the contacts in the two rows staggered relative to each other. It is known in the art to utilize a contact retention plate which is mounted in a connector housing perpendicular to the axes of the contact cavities therein. In one such retention assembly, the contact retention plate has a plurality of parallel slots therein defining spaced fingers. The contacts in the connector are arranged in vertical rows. The retention plate is inserted into a vertical slot in the connector housing. The slots in the plate receive the contacts. The sides of the plate adjacent to the slots engage rearwardly facing shoulders on the contacts to restrict rearward movement of the contacts in their respective cavities. This retention arrangement cannot be utilized for a connector having two rows of contacts with the contacts staggered relative to each other in a plane transverse to the path of movement of the contact retention plate. In another prior art connector, the contact retention plate is formed with two rows of staggered circular openings. A narrow slot extends downwardly from the bottom of each opening. The slots are dimensioned to receive the bodies of the contacts. The sides of the slots engage rearwardly facing annular shoulders on the contacts to restrict rearward movement of the contacts in their respective cavities. The circular openings in the plate are larger than the annular shoulders on the contacts so that when the plate is shifted to a position wherein the contacts are coaxial with the openings, the contacts may be removed from the connector housing. However, in order to remove the plate from the connector housing, the connector must be disassembled.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a unique contact retention assembly in which the retention plate is designed to releasably retain contacts arranged in two rows staggered relative to each other, and which may also be removed from the connector housing without disassembling the connector.